Competitor Group Ends Elite Support (Read 613 times)

PS. Addendum: The Virginia Beach R-N-R Half has been around since 2001, one of their older races... I heard some stories this weekend after the race of folks who were stating the number of attendees to the race was on the decline. Does anyone have any solid numbers on if the RNR races have passed their prime and in decline year over year? --- My thought is that a decline in attendance at these races would be inevitable, just wondered if that trend had started yet...

Arizona's is definitely on the decline....at least in terms of marathoners.

2009: 6444

2010: 5741

2011: 5118

2012: 3890

2013: 3226

I obtained these numbers by going to the site and looking at my place compared to the number of overall finishers.

I should note that I have signed up for this race for 2014....It will likely be my last one of these. Though I said that last year too. I don't know why I keep going back. It's entertaining and all, but I enjoy other races more. It's a fairly fast course, and I was looking for another shot at a sub-4:00 that didn't involve me traveling.

Thousands of people will come attend these expensive frilly events, crowd into corrals, and endure slow crowded starts, trailing along through the detritus of those before them, all to the profit of some nameless distant corporation doing nothing for the local running community and youth.

Many of these participants will neither join nor participate in local running clubs.

How could more of these people be inspired to get involved in local running clubs instead?

Thousands of people will come attend these expensive frilly events, crowd into corrals, and endure slow crowded starts, trailing along through the detritus of those before them, all to the profit of some nameless distant corporation doing nothing for the local running community and youth.

Many of these participants will neither join nor participate in local running clubs.

How could more of these people be inspired to get involved in local running clubs instead?

I would hazard a guess that most people doing any given event are not local to that race.

"If you want to be a bad a$s, then do what a bad a$s does. There's your pep talk for today. Go Run." -- Slo_Hand

PS. Addendum: The Virginia Beach R-N-R Half has been around since 2001, one of their older races... I heard some stories this weekend after the race of folks who were stating the number of attendees to the race was on the decline. Does anyone have any solid numbers on if the RNR races have passed their prime and in decline year over year? --- My thought is that a decline in attendance at these races would be inevitable, just wondered if that trend had started yet...

"For his analysis, Stewart looked at finisher numbers from ten Rock 'n' Roll events that had a half-marathon and marathon in 2011 and 2012. In 2011, those ten events had 204,162 finishers. In 2012, the ten events had 177,834 finishers. Of the ten events, only two--in New Orleans and Washington, D.C.--had more finishers in 2012 and 2011. (As it turns, that upward trend in New Orleans has ended. At this year's event, held last Sunday, there were 11,867 finishers between the half-marathon and marathon, compared to 16,723 in 2012.)"

Which may confirm what many have said: cutting elites = money driven decision. This, coupled with canceling a few races, may hint towards the company's current financial situation. (They are a private company so a quick search did not disclose anything regarding their finances). Either that, or perhaps they are busy shedding debt to be sold again.

The problem for CGI is that if they concentrate on a group that probably includes a hefty percentage of "one and done" folks, you eventually run out of them unless you keep offering them something new and shiny to look at. If things dwindle more, I wonder if we'll see in-race promotions (door prize for the 3,000th person at 6 miles?), back of the pack B-list celebrities to trot with (Mario Lopez, Kate Gosselin?), and various drinks--for purchase, of course--at aid stations (martini, anyone?).

back of the pack B-list celebrities to trot with (Mario Lopez, Kate Gosselin?),

This actually makes perfect sense for them...shifting the comp entries / travel to celebs. Are you in the Hugh Jackman wave or the Jenna Wolf wave? I'm in the Al Roker corral, baby!!! This would, for better or worse, probably be more "meaningful" to the target crowd. Celebrities...they're just like us!

Come all you no-hopers, you jokers and roguesWe're on the road to nowhere, let's find out where it goes

Which may confirm what many have said: cutting elites = money driven decision. This, coupled with canceling a few races, may hint towards the company's current financial situation. (They are a private company so a quick search did not disclose anything regarding their finances). Either that, or perhaps they are busy shedding debt to be sold again.

The problem for CGI is that if they concentrate on a group that probably includes a hefty percentage of "one and done" folks, you eventually run out of them unless you keep offering them something new and shiny to look at. If things dwindle more, I wonder if we'll see in-race promotions (door prize for the 3,000th person at 6 miles?), back of the pack B-list celebrities to trot with (Mario Lopez, Kate Gosselin?), and various drinks--for purchase, of course--at aid stations (martini, anyone?).

While marathons in general have seen a very durable increase in participation, I doubt that these "events"....be it RNR races, color runs, taste runs, mud races, etc...will be as lasting. Fads...especially expensive ones...tend to wear off rather quickly.

The Color Me Rad run I am doing in a couple weeks (OK, I just threw up a little in my mouth there) could only sell out the first wave. If the pre-race email was in indication of their target audience, I really hope there are not many that find it endearing.

"If you want to be a bad a$s, then do what a bad a$s does. There's your pep talk for today. Go Run." -- Slo_Hand

This actually makes perfect sense for them...shifting the comp entries / travel to celebs. Are you in the Hugh Jackman wave or the Jenna Wolf wave? I'm in the Al Roker corral, baby!!! This would, for better or worse, probably be more "meaningful" to the target crowd. Celebrities...they're just like us!

For the little known elites that recieve an entry comp it includes a little more than a hotel for a night or two, transportation from the airport and around town and possibly a meal or two...one of them being the pasta feed. At least this is typical of the smaller venues.

I just got a banner ad for a "Cosmic Run." Clicking on this banner costs Cosmic Run (or someone in contract with it) money, and pays RA? I did ... and I learned that I can run, walk, or dance my way through 5K or, if that's not appealing (or I don't have $55) I can volunteer and get a t-shirt -- for FREE!

Thanks for the article link. On the decline indeed. Surely there is a business model they have: "we must get X,000 number of runners per race, or the costs will exceed the revenue." -- I wonder what happens if that threshhold gets surpassed, and CGI, with all of its' heavy medals and heavy expenses, decides not to do the races anymore and start canceling a bunch of the smaller ones. Would the cities take it back over and run it as a similar half/full marathon? Would the race shut down in that city never to be held again?

I understand that folks aren't a big fan of RNR and the way they run things, but I wonder what happens if the numbers dropped so low that RNR ceased to host the races. I guess what I am saying is I'd rather an RNR race than no race. I am afraid many cities might let the races end in their cities if RNR dropped out. And also considering the 'last minute' nature of RNR not following through on its previously promised obligations, such as to the elites....

It isn't so far fetched that RNR would come to your town 4 weeks before race day and say "not enough participants, we are canceling the race"....

I wonder what happens if that threshhold gets surpassed, and CGI, with all of its' heavy medals and heavy expenses, decides not to do the races anymore and start canceling a bunch of the smaller ones. Would the cities take it back over and run it as a similar half/full marathon? Would the race shut down in that city never to be held again?

It isn't so far fetched that RNR would come to your town 4 weeks before race day and say "not enough participants, we are canceling the race"....

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On the first point, many of the races they took over had long histories and people that kept them alive. I've never been an RD for a large race but for the people I have known that are, it's largely a labor of love. Those people are now gone and out of it. I would guess that a few of the races may be re-launched by local groups if CGI backed out. However I'm sure there would be some that would simply disappear, and that would be unfortunate.

On the second point, I would be kind of surprised unless they were about to fold. If there is one thing that would doom their business model, it would be that. I'm quite sure people would lose faith and not sign up for future events.

"If you want to be a bad a$s, then do what a bad a$s does. There's your pep talk for today. Go Run." -- Slo_Hand

How many of the RnR races did they originate as opposed to buying from some other organization? I'd love to see them sell the PDR back to the original organizers.

Virginia Beach RNR event started in 2001, they created that race here in VB. We do have some fabulous race clubs here and my guess is that if any such 'worst case scenario' situation ever occurred where RNR started canceling races, J&A racing (Hosters of the Shamrock Marathon) would take it over or something. I'm just wondering about the several other towns whose major race is the RNR race. I imagine in Philly there would be plenty of support for taking the RNR race back to private again as well, but wondering most about smaller towns who do not have clubs that host other races in their town.

I would suspect that smaller promoters would swoop in and take them over. Actually, it wouldn't suprise me that this may already be under consideration. I'm still trying to make sense out of CGI logic of dropping the elites...the money saved means they can spend what...$3 more on each entrant. I doubt that's happening.

The likely hood of one of these large races going to a local club is slim to none. (in my opinion) The venue would most likely be put up for sale. It would probably be tough for your typical running club to purchase such an event.

If one of the events are sucking up revenue I imagine they would drop it pretty quick. Sell it off while it still has some value.